The Houston Rockets have fired Kevin McHale and have given the job to J.B. Bickerstaff on an interim basis.
While Bickerstaff will be given an opportunity to prove himself in the job and stabilize the Rockets, there are several elite coaches that could become future candidates.
Both Jeff Van Gundy and Tom Thibodeau have ties to the Rockets and are available coaches. Steve Clifford could also be a free agent this summer and has ties to Houston as well.
Van Gundy has been an analyst for ESPN since he was fired by the Rockets in 2007.
